Window cleaner with wiper feeder



June 15, 1948. E. SIMOR WINDOW CLEANER WITH WIPER FEEDER Filed May 12, 1947 INVEN TOR: EUGENE sqmoa,

Patented June 15, 1,948

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to window cleaners, and is an improvement on the window cleaner, for which Letters Patent of the United States have been issued to me, No. 2,313,367 dated March 9, 1943.

The main object of this invention is to provide means in cooperation with the window cleaner head of the type described in said patent, whereby the drying and polishing medium of the window cleaner may be easily and semi-automatically refreshed and replaced.

Another object of this invention is to provide a comparatively large supply of drying and polishing media right in the window cleaner head, said supply when used up being easily exchanged byanew one.

Still further objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification of the same proceeds, and, among others, I may mention; to provide a device as characterized hereinbefore, which will be simple in construction, and more efiicient in operation, than the window cleaner described in my said patent, which will be easier and less expensive to manufacture, which will have better means for drying and polishing, and will have novel means for pivoting the head, and novel means for adjusting the length of the handle.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanying the same:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my novel window cleaner head;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail thereof.

As in the construction described in my said patent, the window cleaner will have a cleaner heard proper, generally indicated by the numeral H), which is pivotally mounted on a handle or leg, generally indicated by the numeral I I, its pivot construction being shown at l2.

The head If] may be turned on the pivot l2 in practically any desired direction with reference to the handle II, as has been amply described in my said patent, so that it may be in the position shown in the drawings wherein its plane is set transversely to the axis of the handle, and in that position it may be rotated so as to bring either the window washing element I3 into operative relation with the window pane or its frame to be cleaned, or to bring into such a relation the opposite end M of the cleaner head carrying the drying and polishing medium, as will be described more in detail hereinafter, On the other hand, the head may be turned with its plane in parallelism with the handle II,

and its various cleaning elements may then be brought into engagement with the window pane or with the frame therearound, as will be obvious.

It also will be obvious that the handle H may be a simple elongated member by which the head l0 may be operated on the window pane or its frame, or the handle ll may be continued in a U-shaped inner leg whereby it ma be operated from the inside of the window to clean the outside thereof, as also has been amply described in said patent, and as it is well known.

My novel pivoted window cleaner head If) in its improved construction shown in the drawings herein, will have a frame or base structure 15 being formed of one single piece of sheet material, and having a rectangular base proper Hi, the left margin of which is turned inwardly as at I 1, then upwardly as at 18, and outwardly as at 69, forming a channel, generally indicated by the numeral 28. into which is secured the said washing medium 13, in the embodiment shown being a sponge, and being secured by a plate or cord 2! formed into long stitches across the inner portion l3a of the sponge and passing through holes 22 in the upper and lower legs of the channel 20.

On the right hand side, the base proper It is simply bent upwardly into a transverse flat flange 23. A higher transverse flange 24 is secured across the base plate It at about the center thereof, having a foot portion 25'by which it is so secured through the rivets 25a, and. an upper narrow center inwardly turned flange 26, the two ends 2'! of which are wider and continue in downward terminations 28.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the leg or handle H of my device is shown as being formed of tubular members 29, 38, etc.; the top member 29 is the one which is pivotally connected to the head at l2, and for this purpose I provide a transverse screw 3! with a head 32 and a wing nut 33 threaded at the end thereof. A U-shaped connecting member 34 is secured on the reduced end 35 of the top leg member 29 by its downwardly turned branches while its base 34a will be pivotally secured to the base plate proper It by the screw 36, having a lower head 3'! and the nut 38 threaded thereon at the top.

Appropriate washers are arranged under the head 37 and the nut 38, said upper washer preferably being made with an opening having a straight side and a portion of the screw 35 at said washer being flattened to prevent a relative rota- 3 tion of the nut 38 with respect to the screw 35 and its loosening.

It will b seen that by tightening the nut 58 to a desired degree, the head Ill will sit reliably on the handle I l but still will be rotatably on its axis, as has been described in my said patent in connection with another pivot construction.

Also, by judicious operation of the wing nut 33, the U-shaped connecting member 34 may be turned on a transverse axis to the handle l l carrying with it the whole head construction l5, whereby the hand may be turned in other desired manners, the combination of the two movements practically providing a universal joint between the handle ll and the head in, andpermitting any desired positions for the head as will be ob vious and has been describedniore indetail. in said patent.

I also want to remark that in the embodiment shown, the handle I l is made up of sections 29, 35, eta, the lower section in each case, as 35' in Fig. 2 having a reduced upper termination as 35a, secured in the lower end of the upper section, in said figure being indicated at 2,9; and a so.-called= bayonet lock 40 being provided for securingthe lower section into the upper one. In the embodiment shown the lower section will carry a screw 45 similar to the screw 3| at the upper end of the handle II:. The lower end of the upper section 29 will have two registering angular slots 4'2.

When it is desired to connect the two members the respective portions. of the screw 4| will be pushed upwardly, then transversely in the angular slot 42, whereupon a wing nut 43 may secure the parts together in a releasable manner.

With this construction longer or shorter handles with entirely reliable strong rigid connections of the sections may be built, according to the prevailing conditions at a certain window and to accommodate the person using my device.

The washing element, in this case the sponge I is used with my novel construction in a similar manner as has been in said patent, and as it is usual and will be understood. The head is turned with its plane parallel to the handle H the sponge l3 dipped into water, then pressed against a hard surface or preferably against a receiving container for the superfluous liquid, and a part of the water pressed out of it, whereupon the respective portion of the window may be washed by any appropriate movements and maneuvers of the head l0.

Now, the washed window pane has to be wiped, dried and polished. For this purpose a wiping and polishing member, generally indicated by the numeral 44 is arranged on and against the upstanding flange 23 of the head ill at the opposite side to that of the washer I3.

I prefer to make the wiper or drier rectangular in cross section, havingan elongated central, preferably wooden core 45, and two somewhat wider resilient rubber strips 46 placed against the same, andsecured thereon by-anyap p-ropriate means.

A, plurality of layers 41 of a wiping-and polishing sheet material is, rolled around the rectangular wiper element [4-, said sheet, may be of any' appropriate fabric, paper and the like. A pin 48 is secured in the center woo-den core 45, hav.-, ingthe two projecting ends 48a and'a horizontal heavier pin or rod 49 is engaging each pin termination 481;, preferably by an inclined recess. 55. The inner. end. 4941 of the. pin 49. projects. beyond theupstandingflange or plate, saidpin being. slidable in a hole in said plate, as will be obvious.

A cross pin 5| is secured through the rod 45 and a coil spring 52 is interposed between the upstanding flange 43 and the cross pin 5!.

It will be seen that the spring 52 will press the wiper 44 against the flange 25 with a yielding resilient action.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the outer free end 53 of the wiper fabric 41 is continued and secured and rolledon a roller 54, having a throughgoing pin 55 secured therein, one end of which is formed into a grip or handle 55. A rod 5'! is slidably secured in the upper part of the plate 24, and in the downward termination 28 thereof for each pin end 55a engaging the same by an inclined recess 58 similar to the recesses 55 described in connection with the pins 48a, so that the used wiper sheet receiving roller 54 may be rotated in said inclined recesses of the rods 51. A cross pin 55 is secured under each horizontal slidable rod 51 and a coiled spring 55 is interposed between the same and the upstanding plate or flange '24, whereby the roller 54 will bepressed against the upper-part of the plate 24 with a resilient yielding action. The use and operation of my device will be.

obvious from the herein description and the showing of'the drawings. However, I want to describe it more in detail as follows:

After the window pane has been washed, the

outer surface Id of the wiper 44 will be pressed against it with a desired judicious amount of pres sure and operated thereon as necessary. When the outermost layer 47 on the exposed surface l4- becomes wet and used up, the wiper element 44 willbe turned, as for instance, in the direction of arrow 61, whereby the surface M will now be the lower one on the wiper element 44 and its former upper portion will be the one adapted to be operated within the position indicated'at 14. This turning may be executed by the user simply grasping the wiper element 44 between the thumb and finger and turning it as indicated. In that case the roller 54 will be turned in a similar direction as indicated by the arrow 62, so as to take -*up the slackness in the wiper sheet 53, as Will be understood.

Another way of exposing a fresh side of the wiper 44 would be to turn the roller 54 as in-' dicated, whereby the pull on the sheet 53' will cause the wiper element 44 to turn, and present a fresh surface for thewiping operation.

It will be seen that on account of the parallel flat side will do the wiping operation,

In this manner the wiping may be done by a large surface and always in a safe rigid reliable manner. 7

When. all the cleaner sheets 53 have been used up, the rods 49' may be pressed'forwardly, asfincheated by the arrow 63 thereby releasing the pin, ends 48 from the slots 55, and the wiper element 44 may be lifted out of the same. In asimilar manner the upper rods 57 may :be pushed for.- wardly or outwardly, as indicated by the arrow 54, and the rolled up, used material 54 may be lifted off the recess or slot 58. ner new wiper elements 44 and roller 54 maybe placed in. my device.

It will be seen that several such-replacements may be ready and may be placed into the device without any delay,.so that, my device may be used in a very efiicientquick and easy mannenandthen the cores of the used wiper element as well In a similar mane as the rolled up used sheet roll 54 may be returned to a servicing place and fresh similar elements or units received.

However, the user may also unwind the used up or wet wiper sheet from the roller 54, then roll a fresh one around the core of the wiper 44, secure the end of it to the free roller 54, and replace them in the window cleaner head, as indicated in the drawing. In this manner no additional wiper elements or receiving rolls are needed, only a supply of fresh wiper sheets or bands.

It also will be obvious that instead of arranging the fresh Wiper band around the Wiper element 44 and rolling the same off of it on to the roller 54, the operation may be the reverse, and the fresh unused wiper sheet may be rolled up on the roller 54 and its outer end secured on the wiper member 44, whereupon when a portion of it will be used, the wiper element 44 will be turned, presenting a fresh side thereof for operation and pulling additional layers from the roller 54. The wiper element 44 may be turned by grasping the same, as has been described hereinbefore, or one of its pin terminations 48a may be formed into a grip similar to that indicated at 56.

For an easier release of the roller 54, its two rods 51 may be interconnected by a transverse rod 61 so that pressing that portion 51 forwardly, will release both pins 550. at the same time. Of course, similar interaction may be made between the lower rods 49a at the two sides of the device, which, however, was not shown in this drawing, and will be rarely used as it would be inconvenient for access.

I may also remark that layers 4! may be formed by a double sheet of appropriate material, one of them 10, being the wiper or drier material proper, while the other H, may be a water repellent one, so that it may protect the next layer thereunder.

It will be obvious that with a straight handle instead of the usual U-shaped handle, my device may be used for cleaning floors, bathrooms, or for any other appropriate places, like cafeteria tables and mirrors, like tables and mirrors in restaurants.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be resorted to in the elements, combinations and operation of my invention, and I reserve my rights to such changes and variaitons, as are within the spirit of this specification, and the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a window cleaner, having a cleaning head proper, a first rotatable wiper member having a sheet of wiping means secured thereon by one end and wound therearound, a, second rotatable member in parallelism with said first member having the other end of said sheet wiper means secured thereon adapted to be wound therearound, whereby rotating one member will cause said wiper sheet to be wound thereon and to be unwound from the other, pins for the rotating members, transverse rods slidable in the cleaner head and adapted to rotatably receive and support said pins, a stationary element in said head for eachrotating member, and spring means acting on said slidable rods whereby said rotatable members will be pressed against said stationary elements in a resilient yielding manner.

2. A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stationary element for the first rotating member is in the form of a transverse flange along the respective edge of the cleaner head, and said first rotating wiper member has a square cross section whereby the same will present one side thereof for wiping operations, the opposite side of the same being pressed against said flange, and whereby the same may be rotated with its respective corner rotating against said flange and its respective fiat side automatically arranging itself fiat on said flange.

3. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, slots in said rods adapted to receive said pins whereby said pins may be lifted off said rods when the wiping medium is to be exchanged.

4. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, inclined slots in said rods adapted to receive said pins whereby said pins will be rotatably secured in said rods, but may be lifted off the same when desired.

5. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, slots in said rods to receive said pins whereby said pins may :be lifted off said rods when desired, a transverse rod connecting the forward ends of the slidable rods for the first rotating member whereby they may be pressed simultaneously against the springs acting thereon, when it is desired to lift the roller pins off them.

EUGENE SIMOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

